Blood lactate clearance during active recovery after an intense running bout depends on the intensity of the active recovery

High-intensity exercise training contributes to the production and accumulation of blood lactate, which is cleared by active recovery. However, there is no commonly agreed intensity or mode for clearing accumulated blood lactate. We studied clearance of accumulated blood lactate during recovery at various exercise intensities at or below the lactate threshold after high-intensity interval runs that prompted lactate accumulation. Ten males repeated 5-min running bouts at 90% of maximal oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O2max), which increased blood lactate concentration from 1.0 ± 0.1 to 3.9 ± 0.3 mmol · l-1. This was followed by recovery exercises ranging from 0 to 100% of lactate threshold. Repeated blood lactate measurements showed faster clearance of lactate during active versus passive recovery, and that the decrease in lactate was more rapid during higher (60-100% of lactate threshold) than lower (0-40% of lactate threshold) (P < 0.05) intensities. The more detailed curve and rate analyses showed that active recovery at 80-100% of lactate threshold had shorter time constants for 67% lactate clearance and higher peak clearance rates than 40% of lactate threshold or passive recovery (P < 0.05). Finally, examination of self-regulated intensities showed enhanced lactate clearance during higher versus lower intensities, further validating the intensity dependence of clearance of accumulated blood lactate. Therefore, active recovery after strenuous exercise clears accumulated blood lactate faster than passive recovery in an intensity-dependent manner. Maximum clearance occurred at active recovery close to the lactate threshold

Continuity and churn: understanding and responding to the impact of teacher turnover

Teacher turnover is a long-standing and worsening problem for schools in England. Strategies to reduce turnover have been extensively researched; however, in England, fewer studies have engaged with how turnover affects students and staff, or how this impact can be mitigated. This article synthesises research suggesting that the negative impact of high turnover is linked to its corrosive impact on trust, student-centric and institutional knowledge, and collaboration and collegiality. It proposes that schools need to intentionally nurture relationships, establish routines and culture at an institutional level and create opportunities for informal professional development. It also argues that decisions about teacher allocation or assignment can drive within-school churn, undermining continuity of care. Teacher allocation decisions have a particularly negative impact on socio-economically disadvantaged and minority ethnic students, but ‘looping’ may reduce within-school churn and enhance continuity of care. Looping has been studied in several countries, but further research is needed in the English context, particularly given that teachers report being open to the strategy, if it is supported by evidence. However, as this article highlights, there are potential tensions between reducing teachers’ influence over allocation and the impact this might have on teacher satisfaction and retention, as well as potential tradeoffs between grade-specific and student-specific expertise

The impact of political behaviours on internationalisation : the case of Australian companies internationalising to China

Purpose &ndash; The purpose of this paper is to test a model of cooperation between internationalising businesses and local and host country governments in the context of Australian companies internationalising to China. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; The paper presents a model for the political dimensions of internationalising based on corporate political theory and the cooperative view of management. Data were collected from personal interviews with representatives from 40 Australian organisations with businesses or operations in China. The data were analysed using NVivo. Findings &ndash; Assistance provided by the Australian government was often sought and was perceived to be beneficial. Most participants experienced policies and regulations which affected their entry modes. In ten cases they acted as barriers and significantly influenced entry mode choice. The majority of participants viewed the development of relationships with the Chinese government as important and employed a variety of relationship behaviours. Over half of the participants identified the need to understand and deal with the psychically distant government structures of the Chinese government, namely government intervention in business. Practical implications &ndash; The model links the organisational objectives of businesses internationalising to China, understanding the political/regulatory environment, selecting an entry mode and developing/maintaining a successful business. To achieve these objectives corporate political behaviour must reflect the sovereign powers in place at the time. Originality/value &ndash; The paper presents a model which develops the literature for the political dimensions of internationalisation. It also presents empirical data on the political dimensions of internationalising into China. These findings will assist businesses in understanding political factors when internationalising to China.<br /

An exploration of the motivation to attend for spectators of the Lexmark Indy 300 champ car event, Gold Coast

The perceptions of spectators (N = 36) at the Lexmark Indy 300 Champ Car event were assessed via qualitative methods to evaluate their internal and external motivations to attend. The most common reason to attend was the atmosphere that the event created, and entertainment. Other reasons included the race, enjoying the company of friends, and group affiliation. The characteristics of the majority of attendees were predominantly male, 26 to 35 years old, from Queensland, who earned around AUD$50,000 to$75,000 per annum. The findings of the study have implications for sport marketers who wish to communicate to these individuals.<br /

Intracranial vascular pathology in two further patients with Floating-Harbor syndrome: Proposals for cerebrovascular disease risk management

Floating-Harbor syndrome (FHS) is a rare, heritable disorder caused by variants in the SRCAP gene. Most individuals with FHS have characteristic facial features, short stature, and speech and language impairment. Although FHS has been likely under-diagnosed due to a combination of lack of recognition of the clinical phenotype and limited access to genomic testing, it is a rare condition with around 100 individuals reported in the medical literature. Case series have been biased towards younger individuals (vast majority <20 years of age) meaning that it has been challenging to provide accurate medical advice for affected individuals in adulthood. We report two young adults with FHS who presented with intracranial haemorrhage likely secondary to cerebrovascular aneurysms, with devastating consequences, making a total of four FHS patients reported with significant cerebrovascular abnormalities. Three of four patients had hypertension, at least one in conjunction with normal renal structure. We consider possible relationships between hypertension, renal pathology and aneurysms in the context of FHS, and consider mechanisms through which disruption of the SRCAP protein may lead to vascular pathology. We recommend that clinicians should have a low threshold to investigate symptoms suggestive of cerebrovascular disease in FHS. We advise that patients with FHS should have annual blood pressure monitoring from adolescence, renal ultrasound at diagnosis repeated in adulthood, and timely investigation of any neurological symptoms. For patients with FHS, particularly with hypertension, we advise that clinicians should consider at least one MRA (Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Angiography) to check for cerebral aneurysms

Infrared Imaging of Meibomian Glands and Evaluation of the Lipid Layer in Sjogren's Syndrome Patients and Nondry Eye Controls

Menzies, K. L., Srinivasan, S., Prokopich, C. L., & Jones, L. (2015). Infrared Imaging of Meibomian Glands and Evaluation of the Lipid Layer in Sjogren’s Syndrome Patients and Nondry Eye Controls. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 56(2), 836–841. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.14-13864Purpose.: The purpose of this study was to evaluate meibomian gland dropout and lipid layer thickness (LLT) in patients with and without Sjögren's syndrome dry eye (SS). Methods.: We recruited 11 participants with SS (males/females [M/F], 1:10; mean age = 56.0 ± 9.1 years) and 10 control subjects without dry eye (M/F, 3:7; mean age = 58.5 ± 4.7 years). All participants completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. The LLT was assessed using the Tearscope Plus based on the appearance of the lipid layer. Noninvasive tear break-up time (NITBUT) also was measured. The lower and upper lids were everted, and the meibomian glands were imaged using the infrared camera of the Keratograph 4. A meibomian gland dropout score due to gland loss was obtained. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test and correlations were determined using Spearman rank correlations. Results.: Of the SS participants, 100% reported ocular and oral dryness symptoms in the AECC questionnaire. The SS group recorded a higher OSDI score (median = 48.00, interquartile range [IQR] 23.0–56.2 vs. 2.1, IQR 0.0–2.6; P < 0.001), reduced LLT (median [IQR] = 15.0 [15.0–15.0] vs. 60.0 [45.0–100.0] nm; P = 0.001), and lower NITBUT (median [IQR] = 3.7 [2.5–4.2] vs. 9.5 [6.4–17.6] sec; P < 0.001) compared to the controls. Digital meibomian gland dropout score (% dropout) was significantly higher for the SS group (16.0% [IQR 12.1–40.0%] vs. 6.7% [IQR 1.5–12.7%]; P = 0.01). Subjective meibomian gland dropout score (0–6 score) was significantly higher for the SS group (median [IQR] = 1.5 [1.0–4.0] vs. 1.0 [0.0–1.25]; P = 0.03). Conclusions.: Patients with SS showed higher meibomian gland dropout scores and reduced LLT and NITBUT, which likely contribute to the severe dry eye symptoms reported by SS subjects